


The Lost Pantheons

by TheSmolFlexibleBean



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: An old brainchild, F/F, I started writing this when I'd only read the original, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-01 16:33:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16288037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSmolFlexibleBean/pseuds/TheSmolFlexibleBean
Summary: The last thing Jacob could have imagined was that he was important. He had the last name Smith after all! The most common last name he could ever think of.  But man...was he so very wrong. And now even the gods of old are coming after his head unless he can fulfill a prophesy he never he wanted to begin with.





	1. Sun Spots

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old as hell fic, as of writing this note it's not even close to being finished. I wrote it a long time ago and it was supposed to be five 'books'. As I still have the plot I'll be posting it as I expand on the old chapters. I hope you enjoy.

The last thing Jacob could have imagined was that he was important. He had the last name Smith after all! The most common last name he could ever think of. Honestly he even thought he was adopted. Compared to his father’s dark skin and dark hair he was a complete opposite. His skin almost passed for white and his hair was a light reddish brown. His dad had once called it Titian. But all of it was probably because of his sun allergy.  _ Allergic to the sun, what a way to live. _ The only plus side is he never had to go to public school...or even leave the house in the daytime. With his ADHD it meant he could go at his own pace, online classes teaching him every subject he needed to succeed. He wasn't the best with reading and writing but it wasn't as hard as he thought it should be given his mental setbacks.

 

What he did outside of the house was up to him, the night being his shelter. He would go out to do things like get groceries or just run through the woods near his house. He was almost a regular kid in the night, no matter the strange noises the dark raised to his ears or the weird sensation of being watched just out of his sightline. Even then he felt safer at night than in the mornings, even when his father was around. Well... _ especially when his father was around.  _ _   
_

_   
_ His father wasn’t the most kind man after all, especially when he would drink excessively. He’d tell Jacob he never should have been born. That his life was cursed and that he should have smothered him or thrown him to the daylight. The worst of it was when his father did put him in the sunlight as a form of punishment. Mere minutes under the sun would burn his skin so horribly it left scars that most mistook for chemical burns or a childhood accident. It wasn’t as if he could tell people how much of a freak he was. Or that his father was an abusive alcoholic of a man. Nobody would believe him. If they did, who knows where he would be sent. Probably a foster home.  _ He would never have that happen. _

 

He was sixteen now, a boy with big dreams and a body that seemed to have the stars dotting his skin and eyes. He was so innocent seeming but he still worked his ass off for his goals. He provided for the house by taking night shifts working at the supermarket. It was all he could do unless he wanted to cover his skin and use a parasol to walk around the daytime. That only made him feel like a goth or a vampire, neither he was. He never even had a rebellious phase where he acted out or changed his appearance, even if he daydreamed of walking around on a sunny beach on occasion.

 

He at least had a friend, his neighbor Nick, well his full name was Nicolas Sprine, who would send him things to read in the daytime from a basket of a pulley system between their windows. It was a far stretch but such was the problem living in spacious neighborhoods like they did. Hell, a few houses were still under construction in the West Coast neighborhood so it wasn’t like they had many kids to talk to anyways.

 

Nick was the complete opposite of Jacob, outgoing and full of pep. His hair was a muddy ginger, near copper color and his eyes reminded him of green forests. His skin was pale but never seemed to burn, only turn a sort of...tanish pale. He was always making something or writing in his notebook so it took a while to get his attention, especially in winter. Winter always seemed to make Nick...lethargic would be the best way to put it. He wasn’t himself, more drawn in than out in the open. Jacob usually sent over soup he made during those times, having nothing better to do during mornings. He was never the best at it but he could make amazing hot chocolate if he wanted to. Chocolate was honestly a staple of his diet at this point. Nick meanwhile always was growing something in the greenhouse his family had. It didn’t matter the season, Nick was eating something fresh or rigging something up to cause trouble. The two of them were inseparable at this point, years of bonding having made them closer than two peas in the same peapod.

 

Tonight was like any other, the two boys sitting in a tree and staring at the stars. The quiet was nice, especially in the summer heat wave they were having. Nick was sporting a pair of khaki shorts and a green wife beater top covered in dirt stains from his recent ‘fight’ with the rose bushes of the greenhouse along with his normal black high top sneakers. Jacob’s outfit on the other hand was black stretch shorts and an ACDC band tee that had seen better days. As usual, he was barefoot, enjoying the fact he could run around the woods without any shoes on. Nick’s hair had the usual unbrushed look whilst Jacob had decided to tie his shoulder length hair back since his father never let him grow it out. 

 

According to his father it would ‘defile the already sacred vow he broke by letting him fall for the woman he did’ which Jacob could never understand, even now. How could his dad be so loathing of his mom. Had she been married? All the thoughts of his dad made him sigh which caught Nick’s attention.

 

“Hey what’s up man. You seem down. Is it your mom again?” Nick quirked a brow.   


  
“Yeah...you could say that. It’s just...she leaves me on dad’s bed during an eclipse and disappears forever. Was she on the run? Was she escaping a jealous husband? Is she dead? Will I ever get to know who she was or what she was like?” Jacob groaned, leaning against the trunk of the tree as the questions kept racing through his mind.   


  
“Slow down star boy. You do this every full moon. Your mind on overdrive again? Did you even try that herbal blend I made?” Nick’s hands found their way to Jacob’s shoulders, rubbing softly with just the perfect amount of threatening of pushing Jacob off to the ground below.   


  
“Yeah...didn’t help. I just get like this. It’s like my mind changes like the moon you know this. We’ve been friends how long after all?” He gave a soft smile.   


  
“Well...that’s true. Gotta admit we’re best buds.” Nick managed a laugh.

 

“Heh yeah...Best friends. You did save me from that over affectionate dog after all.” Jacob covered his mouth to try to muffle his laughter.   


  
“I still say werewolf!” Nick huffed.   


  
“Nick...you called a labrador retriever a werewolf. Mutton Chop was the dopiest dog I ever met.” He thought back to the silly dog walked around a lamp post.   


  
“With no owner. At midnight.” Nick narrowed his eyes.   
  


“Just calm down... _ You’ll wake the werewolves. _ ”   
  


They both ended up cackling with laughter, leaning against the trunk of the tree to steady themselves. Two sixteen year olds with a little more than a friendly vibe between them but neither would admit their thoughts. They embodied the ‘no homo’ traits to a perfect encompassment of straightness and neither wanted to break it. Their laughter only stopped when they heard broken howls, like something stuck between man and beast and all the hairs on Jacob’s neck stood on end. The air went cold and two figures crashed through the bushes below, running to the tree like it could save them. Then the dog-like creatures came, slow and stalking their prey.   
  


“Skinwalkers…” Jacob whispered under his breath as if it wasn’t a foreign word on his lips, his eyes betrayed him though.  _ He had no idea what he was saying. _

 

“What?! Jacob what the fuck!” Nick was more worried about the things below them than anything else.   
  


“I don’t know! Just pull them up!” He yelled at Nick as they braced themselves against the tree trunk with hands outstretched.   
  


_ How the hell did he know that! _


	2. The Chase

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the edited chapters are getting posted tonight ;p

They had to think fast, especially with more growling in the woods coming closer by the second. Going down two branches they were able to grab hold of the two figures by their wrists, hoisting them up to a neighboring branch. What neither expected was for one of them to be a goat from the waist down or have horns in their hair. The other, a girl with red hair and green eyes, was studying the boys and their shocked reactions. It was as if she was deciding something in her head.   


  
“Holy shit a goatman…” Jacob’s eyes were as wide as saucers, speaking in almost a whisper.   


  
“You mean a faun?” Nick said it almost like it was ingrained in his memory.   


  
“I’m a satyr! Where the hell does someone get goatman from!” The satryr huffed with a glare, crossing their arms.   


  
“Calm down Robert. I think...I think they’re demigods.” The girl nervously played with the chain of a necklace.   


  
The look that passed over the faces of the boys was basically complete ignorance. They had no idea what was going on right now and they weren’t sure they wanted to know. Honestly if it wasn’t for the goat...satyr...thing in front of them they probably would have never believed the demigod word. Below them, the beasts were growling, shifting forms as three more came from the bushes. They were wolves one moment, foxes the next. One even turned into an owl for a few seconds but thankfully it shifted back. Jacob felt like he knew the answer to this. Like a secret in his mind.

 

“You have to say their name.” Jacob half mumbled the words, as if in a trance.   


  
“What?!” The girl looked at him like he was insane.   


  
“You heard me. Their human names. I don’t know _ how _ I know this but...It’s the only way to kill them. Or else they’ll start climbing.” Jacob was staring down at the circling forms, a glossy look to his eyes.

 

“And here we have an idiot. Saying their names kills them. After everything we’ve tried? Hell, just do it.” The girl groaned, rubbing her temples.   


  
“Okay I uh...I’ll try.” Jacob nervously looked back to the group.   


  
“You have no idea...oh my god.” Nick tried to hold in a laugh.   


  
“It’s not like I go around doing shit like this! This is all new to me!” Jacob’s cheeks were turning an excellent shade of red.   


  
“Just try Jacob. I’ll uh...I’ll collect your body just in case.” Nick’s laughter had thankfully calmed down, something more than worry in his eyes that went unnoticed.   


  
“Wow. Thanks. I feel so much better…” The sarcasm dripped from his voice.   


  
They all looked down as Jacob gulped nervously and jumped to the forest floor below, nearly getting leapt on as soon as he hit the ground. He stood up though, his terrified mind racing a mile a minute. It was like he could sense their real forms, their real names in his head.  _ He was neighbors with at least one of them! _ He took a breath and he spoke, names pouring from his mouth like an ancient chant. He didn’t know what language he was speaking in honestly. It was like...it was many languages of the same land, the same Earth. With each name one of the creatures would dissolve like their body had become sludge until they were nothing but scorch marks on the grassy ground.

 

He felt...dizzy...as if someone had vacuumed all of his consciousness out of him. He fell to his knees under the shade of the tree, the world spinning around him as the moon seemed to almost glitter.  _ Could the moon glitter? _ He felt someone scoop him up and the faint voice of the girl and Nick as they raced back into the neighborhood. It wasn’t long before he slipped into a deep sleep, his eyes shutting softly and his body becoming heavy. The last thing his opened eyes saw was the stars, twinkling in the sky with the glittering moon.

 

_ His eyes slowly opened to a dark expanse, no light or sound filling the space. He could hear his breathing, his own blood pumping as he covered his ears. Then...lights began to appear, twinkling and sparkling. Soft noises, like the sounds of wind chimes filled the void and he realized a bigger light was filling the expanse. He was standing on...a porch? He turned to the left without realizing it, seeing a man with dark skin and hair wrapped in animal skin hide moving from West to East below him with what looked like a ball of flaming light.  _ **_The Sun._ ** _ How did he know that! And why did seeing this man fill him with so much panic! _ _  
_

__  
_ “Shhh my child. He cannot see you. It has been so long...You have grown.” The voice was so soft, like a lullaby. _ __  


__  
_ He turned to the East but he saw nobody. He could have sworn it was a woman’s voice. It made his heart leap, like a memory locked away in his mind had tried to push to the surface. But nothing greeted him but the dark expanse of lights...no...they were stars. He was on the porch of a house in the sky...He decided not to look down because he knew he would vomit there and then. _ __  


__  
_ “My little star child...you have a great journey and a great curse. My husband wishes your death because of my betrayal. But I wish to end a long feud instead. Immigrant and Native. The day and the night.” The woman spoke again, gentle as waves. _ __  


__  
_ “Who are you! Where are you.” Jacob could hear his own voice cracking. _ __  


_  
_ _ “Who I am is many. The mother of stars. The mother of the water child. Stories shift and change. Sometimes I am a wife to my Sun. Sometimes a sister. Yet I still love him every telling. As to where...You already know this answer...Go to the East where the Sun and Moon rise. Find the camp of Greeks and bring the Lost Pantheons back to light. I must leave you now. Sunrise is coming.” The voice faded off, turning into a whisper. _

__  
__  
He didn’t have time to speak again before he felt himself plunge into darkness once more. The sounds shifted, going from windchimes to his own breathing. He could hear...voices, soft as if whispering. He also tasted...his dad’s fifteen bean soup? But his father never made that anymore. Hell, he hadn’t made it since Jacob was five! His eyes opened slowly as he made an attempt to sit up.  _ His head felt like it was swimming _ . He then felt a hand to his chest, pushing back down.  __ Nick. He knew those calloused hands anywhere.   


  
“Hey now star idiot. You just did a stupid thing. You’re not sitting up.” Nick lightly pushed him back down again.   


  
“Where…” His voice sounded hoarse like he’d deepthroated a cheese grater.   


  
“The greenhouse. Like hell I was leaving you at your dad’s. He’d tie you up outside again for sneaking out. Besides, it was sunrise. I don’t want your sun allergy killing you.” Nick sighed, knowing the effects of his best friend’s illness.   


  
“Yeah...sun allergy.” His eyes blearily looked towards the greenhouse door. “Couch…” He managed a pained whimper, everything hurting.   


  
“Yeah yeah. I’ll take you to the couch.” Nick’s voice had moved away from his chest to behind his head.   


  
He felt Nick’s arms around his chest but...someone else was holding his legs. He didn’t care who it was right now. All he cared about was getting his head back in order. The dream or whatever it had been was already slipping from his memories, like a cloud was blocking it out. It was probably whatever was making his head hurt too. He felt himself lowered onto the couch and something soft draped over him. Probably the quilt that was always neatly placed over the back. Jacob knew every little stitch on it by now from sleeping over.   


  
By the time his head was normal enough, Nick’s dad had put out snacks. He could get a look at the two new people but...something seemed off. Didn’t the guy have goat legs before? He had shaggy brown hair with dark eyes but where he thought there was goat legs, instead was jeans. The man also had a flannel shirt on with holes in it where one could see bits of an orange tee beneath. The girl was a different story, still seeming the same from their encounter. At least Jacob could take in more of her now. Her eyes were a deep green but her hair was dyed some shade of red. She was wearing a band tee, ripped jeans, and a leather jacket. Perched on her dyed hair was a snapback that was mostly black but had a brilliant rainbow on the brim. Her shoes were a pair of converse that were mismatched in color as if she put them on in a hurry. Her entire appearance was some form of thrown together.

 

He decided not to think on it as he grabbed a snack and popped it into his mouth, relaxing at the taste. He always did love whatever Nick’s dad put out for them. But now he wouldn’t be able to go home until nightfall. He didn’t have any of his stuff to even make a short trek a few feet down the street. Nick seemed to be reading his mind as he got up.   


  
“Pack under your bed?” It was easy to tell this was a conversation spoken of before.   
  


“Yeah...why?” His brain wasn’t fully back to normal yet.   
  


“Because when you were out uhm...Harmony told me some things. Like how we shouldn’t be alive, especially you. And also that we need to leave. Like now.” His tone was so grave it snapped Jacob back to reality.   
  


“Yeah. You’re in grave danger. I’m surprised either of you made it alive this long without knowing.” The girl...Harmony...spoke, seemingly worried about them both.   
  


“Is this the demigod thing? Because that seemed like…” Nick’s sentence trailed off, obviously still doubting all of this.   
  


“A dream. I know. But it’s true. We need to go to Long Island.” She got up, determination in her eyes.   
  


“I still don’t get this! Demigods. Monsters. None of it makes sense! And why now!” Nick started pacing back and forth, trying to piece it together.

  
“Woah. Back up. Monsters? Demigods? This seems like a load of shit.” Jacob seemed almost wary on this all, sitting up and taking the quilt off.   
  


“You two need to believe us. You could die.” Robert spoke, obviously used to kids doubting this.   
  


“And how are we supposed to believe you! Whatever happened last night...it wasn’t normal but maybe we were just high!” Nick was grasping at straws.   
  


Robert sighed and got up, kicking off his hiking boots and dropping his pants. Both boys quickly looked away before slowly turning back.  _ Okay, goat legs. So it wasn’t a dream. _ The boys looked towards each other as if having a silent conversation. Finally, Nick spoke up.   
  


“So we need to travel by day...right?” Nick definitely sighed in defeat over the whole idea.   
  


“Unless you want monsters killing us, yes. They’re stronger at night.” Robert spoke up, getting his pants and boots back on.   
  


“We have to leave. Now. You both better make peace with your dads.” Harmony spoke, looking towards the kitchen.   
  


“Well...you could take care of  _ your problem. _ ” Nick’s voice held every connotation of subtly.   
  


He hadn’t thought of that. He could escape his dad. He could run all the way across the country. And that dream...Going East to find Greeks? A camp of Greeks; that was it. But why did  _ he _ have to do this. He was only a kid! He had work tonight! Though it did mean he would never have to work there again. No more boss with yellow eyes. No more dealing with angry customers for the store closing every night.

 

“....Alright. Don’t forget my parasol, okay?” Jacob wasn’t believing any of this really but it was better to go along with it.   
  


“Be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail!” Nick was off like a shot, racing out the front door.   
  


Whilst Nick rushed off to go pack for Jacob, it meant he was left sitting with Robert and Harmony. Was this really what his life was going to be? Was he stuck with so many questions that swam through his mind? He wasn’t even sure if this was all some death dream and Jacob had died or something fighting the...what were they even called. Oh right. Skin walkers.  _ Well it was better than going home. _

 

He barely even noticed Robert and Harmony had left the room from being wrapped in his own thoughts until he he got the exact opposite of his hopes.  _ Home came to him _ . His father busted down the door of Nick’s dad’s house and walked inside, dragging Nick by the hair before depositing him on the floor. Jacob couldn’t help but shake, smelling the alcohol on his father’s breath as he stalked over to Jacob and pulled him up by the collar of his band tee.   
  


“Where the fuck were you. You were supposed to be home. I could leave you to your stupid fucking allergy.” His words were like venom to Jacob’s ears.   
  


“Dad please...I-I was out late. Nick invited me to sleep over.” He was trying so hard to make an excuse but his voice was cracking from fear. He knew what was coming.   
  


“Give me your hands.” His dad’s voice was so hollow....it was terrifying. Hell, his eyes didn’t look right anymore, glossed over by what he could only assume in his terror stricken mind was pure unadulterated rage.   
  


Jacob hung his head and lifted his hands up, his father tying them together with some rope and hauling Jacob out into the sunlight.  _ It felt like his skin was melting.  _ He tried to pull away, to find any sort of shadow but his father held tight, walking slowly on purpose as Jacob tried not to scream, tears rolling down his face. He shut his eyes and then...silence.

 

The smell of his skin burning subsided and his hands went slack, the sunlight faded from his delicate flesh. He was afraid he had died in all honesty. He was proven wrong when he opened his eyes. Nick was holding the parasol over Jacob’s head and his other hand held...a frying pan. If Jacob wasn’t still terrified he would have called Nick the next Rapunzel. He was only brought back to his senses by his best friend’s voice.   
  


“You alright man? I tried to stop him I...I think he’s unconscious.” Nick’s voice was scared but not entirely guilty in case he killed him.   
  


“I-I’m okay...Hurts like a bitch but...I’m okay.” Jacob hugged himself, shaking a bit.   
  


“Okay. Come on. I got your bag. Robert and Harmony apparently stole your dad’s van.” Nick almost had an amused tone as he gently handed over the parasol.   
  


Jacob followed closeby to Nick, too terrified to come out from under the parasol until he was safely in the van. The first thing he saw was how clean the entire thing was. He had also noticed blackout panels on the back seat windows.  _ The entire backseat was in complete darkness. _ He darted into the back and curled up, trying not to whimper when he tried to buckle up.

 

“Don’t try. Just push the backseat down to make the area flat.” Harmony spoke softly.   
  


“O...Okay.” Jacob slowly put it down and noticed something that had been hidden in the trunk.   
  


“There you go. Now just lay on the cot. Can you drive...what was your name again?” Robert spoke this time, chewing on what looked like a popsicle stick.   
  


“Nick.” He said for what was probably the sixth time today based on his tone.   
  


“Nick, can you drive?” Robert spoke again, half the stick gone now.   
  


“Well, yeah. I have my permit.” Nick seemed a little nervous.   
  


“Good enough.”   
  


Nick got into the driver’s seat and started driving with Harmony in the passenger seat and Jacob lying on a cot, his eyes shut and sticky stuff being applied to his skin. Wherever it touched, his pain faded to a dull ache. He was given sweet stuff to eat and drink which reminded him of cookies and morning pancakes. He thought of Nick’s dad and what was going through his mind right now. He could have sworn the man had been crying at the front door when they drove away.

 

He let the thoughts fade away as his body relaxed and his exposed skin was bandaged up. With the soft movement of the car and the sweet meal in his stomach it was hard not to drift off to sleep. Hopefully this time there wouldn’t be any more weird space dreams.


	3. Circus of Lies

By the time Jacob woke up, they had driven a long way from the neighborhood he knew as his life. The temperature in the vehicle had dropped with the sun, leaving the space a comfortable cool that washed over his lightly tanned skin. He sat up slowly, his body protesting from the events that had transpired the past few hours. What he could see out of the windows was nothing but open road and fields, the night engulfing the car in sweet shadows and soft light. Harmony and Robert were asleep, Nick’s eyes on the road. Jacob managed to peel the bandages off of himself to see his skin had no sign of injury other than minor scrapes from hitting the ground on the sidewalk. He’d almost thought it never happened if he hadn’t seen the look in Nick’s eyes from the rearview mirror.

 

“Nick?” His voice thankfully sounded less crappy.   


  
“Oh you’re up. Glad to know.” Nick’s eyes seemed to soften.   


  
“Uh yeah…” He looked from the mirror to his arms.   


  
“How’s your skin?” He countered.   


  
“Cold...But okay.” He honestly go for a sweater or a jacket but he didn’t even know where his bag was.   


  
“That’s good.” He smiled softly.   
  


“Have you...been driving this whole time?”   
  


“Yes. I have.”   
  


“You need to pull over. It’s not good for you to-”   
  


“I’m the only one who can drive. I have to do this. We need to get through Idaho.”   
  


“We’re in Idaho?! That’s the next state over!”   
  


“I know. They said we have to get to New York right? Well I’m going to do it.”   
  


“I can see you listing at the wheel. You haven’t even had coffee have you. Come on. Pull over. I need to stretch my legs anyways.”   
  


“Fine. Fine...I see lights up ahead. I’ll stop there...promise.”   
  


The drive to the area was silent until they parked in what seemed like a parking lot full of...clowns. Tons and tons of clowns.  _ Why did it have to be clowns of all things. He was already prepared to throw fists. _ There was a circus tent nearby and amusement rides along with animals of all kinds. Some even seemed to shift and change in the light as if something was concealing their appearance.   
  


“Do you see that?”   
  


“Kind of wish I wasn’t but...yeah I see it.”   
  


“Damn. I was hoping it was a hallucination or something.”   
  


“Come on...Wake up the others.”   
  


“Yeah...sure.”   
  


Jacob roused the others and they exited the vehicle, making sure to lock the doors before heading out into the immediate area, that being vendors and booth games. The smell of food came from all corners of the circus and families were laughing and playing. It seemed okay enough to stop, maybe have a bite to eat and stretch. Then they passed the crowds of revelry into a quieter, more odd feeling area. The further they walked in, the more unsettling the smiles seemed to be on performers as if they were stitched on. Their walks and stances became more deformed, more angular and terrifying. Their eyes seemed almost hollow in flickering candlelight yet people seemed completely unaware.  _ It was if they couldn’t see it. _   
  


“The Mist is strong here. Normal people probably see it as nothing more than makeup or deformities. They don’t see what we see.” Harmony spoke softly but there was a nervous edge to it.   
  


Jacob could feel his skin crawling with each step, as if something was stalking their very beings. His eyes would dart to the shadows and almost see something move, a shift in a branch even would send his hair on end. He’d had this feeling before, so many times.  _ It was the same feeling he would get when he wandered the woods alone. _ Yet still they pushed through, all the way to the circus tent which smelled of ancient fabrics, fur and meat.  _ A lot of meat. _ Maybe they kept lions? He was hoping for that at least. That was the less dangerous and less vomit worthy answer honestly. Then he noticed that the fabric was different types,  _ different colors. _ It was like a quilt built from bloody togas, tattered shirts and animal skins. Dark Green, orange, purple, silver and blue shirts with symbols on it seemed to be the newest. There was even one old brown shirt with a gray sash, the fabric faded and seeming to be over  _ a century old _ was in the middle and Jacob could make out the name.  _ Camp Ancient. _ Something in the back of his mind seemed to recognise that this was probably from a place so old, so forgotten that it hadn’t seen a living soul since the shirt was added. His concentration was broken by Nick shaking him lightly.

 

“You’ve been staring at that shirt for three minutes now.” Nick spoke softly, knowing how jumpy Jacob could be.   
  


“Sorry I...sorry.” He sighed.   
  


“Robert says he wants to cut all those t-shirts out. Something about a Greek and Roman camp and burials?” His voice sounded a bit sad, as if he was leaving something out.   
  


“I want that one.” Jacob pointed to the faded brown fabric.   
  


“The...what is that tan? Beige?”   
  


“It’s brown.” He felt a little edge come to his voice.   
  


“Doesn’t look brown to me.” Nick shrugged.   
  


“Look, I just want it!” He nearly yelled it.   
  


“Okay, okay calm down! Christ...You think we should grab the other shirts too?” Nick’s eyes seemed to drift to the green ones.   
  


“I guess...Maybe they mean something.” After all, if the brown shirt got himself so upset maybe the others would for someone else.   
  


“Alright.”   
  


Nick pulled out his pocket knife and cut the shirts loose, quickly folding the fabric and placing it into his bag.  _ Thank god he thought to bring that. After all, he had Jacob’s wallet. _ When he cut the brown shirt away Jacob grabbed it, not letting Nick’s hands touch the old fabric. Nick quirked a brow but didn’t press the matter further, knowing how his best friend got sometimes. Jacob gently folded the shirt and held onto it like it would fade away as they saw into what was probably the backstage of the circus tent. Cages lined the space filled with what looked like inhuman shapes, limp and nothing but lumps. Yet there was one figure that remained a vaguely human shape in all of it, illuminated by the moonlight that shone through the hole they had created. They gripped the bars with broken limbs, a muffled scream escaping their sewn shut lips. A tattered dark green shirt hung off their frame along with khaki shorts that were stained with both old and new blood. Nobody in the group hesitated to rush through the hole in the tent fabric.

 

The most terrifying part of what they witnessed was that none of the monsters or creatures made a single noise. It was like they had been broken for so long that they had no will to do anything but stare numbly at the demigod group. Harmony seemed to be shaking a little, as if seeing things that weren’t there..or maybe things only she could see. Whatever it was seemed to make her turn a sickly shade of green and cover her mouth.

 

Slowly Jacob approached the cage with the human shape in clothes...it being a young girl about their age, maybe a little younger. Her dark brown hair was hanging limp against her pale skin, blue eyes hollow and terrified as if she had seen the gates of hell and come back. He understood that look all too well. It was the look of someone who had lost all faith in being anything but a prisoner. Jacob had days like that, knowing if he stepped out into the sun he could end it all, make all the pain go away forever. He forced the thought down as Nick rushed over with his pocket knife, trying to force the lock. Well he was pretty okay with locks. Robert and Harmony guarded and listened for something; he wasn’t sure what.   
  


Jacob in that moment opened his mouth to speak but Nick slapped a hand over it, pointing to the far corner where there was a shape, a blindfold over where their eyes should be. It took his mind a few moments to adjust to the shape before he let out a shaky breath. _How had he not noticed it. That was why nothing was making any noise._   
  


He gave a quick nod and stepped back to let Nick work on the lock without any more interruptions. Soon enough the silence was filled with the click of a lock and the figure got up, growling as he rushed to the source of the noise. Everyone ducked as the figure reached into the cage, nearly grabbing the girl who barely managed to get out of the way, her body pressed against the cage like a startled animal. 

 

Suddenly the backstage was filled with noise as if the creatures were trying to save them. The huge creature moved away and the girl raced from the cage, rolling in the dirt as she went to a crate that had the lid off, grabbing out a huge broadsword made of a glittering grey material. She seemed to move with a strength she shouldn’t have, rushing the creature and leaping as she landed the sword into its’ back as it dropped, fading into a golden dust. The only thing left behind was a ring of keys which Robert used to open all the cages, creatures of all types spilling from their prisons and taking off into the night.   
  


When Jacob turned to the girl, Harmony was holding her, trying to get something in her mouth.  _ She looked so weak now it was startling to see the difference. _ All the strength she had was gone. He would have approached but a figure locked eyes with him and froze. She looked like a woman but had antlers like a deer. The world seemed to fade away, his head filled with a sweet voice, her gossamer dress blowing in a wind only she could feel. He was surprised the woman’s lips didn’t move when she spoke honestly but he’d seen enough freaky shit for the past day to just accept it.   
  


 

_ “Child of the moon. It has been long since there has been a native demigod of American line.” The woman spoke like her voice was a breeze. _ _   
_ __   


_ “Who are you…” For the second time in a week, he was questioning mysterious womanly voices. _ _   
_ __   


_ “They call my kind the deer women. We were once the guides for American native demigods yet that part of history was wiped out with your old culture. The words of your ancestors wiped away like sands in a desert. Long has it been since I saw one like you. The last one was mine to guide and she fell, a daughter of the sun. Do not let your fate be your master young one.” The woman smiled, sweet as if knowing something. _ _   
_ __   


_ “What do you mean. Does this have to do with the shirt? Tell me more!” His voice was so urgent, so scared. _ _   
_ __   


_ “It is not my place to tell the stars to shine. Be careful Jacob Smith...Or should I say Jacob StarLight.” The woman had a twinkle to her eyes as she nodded to herself, a conversation seeming going on that Jacob couldn’t understand. _

_   
_ __   
He would have kept the communication but a large feathered creature rushed past and the woman disappeared, Robert dragging him out through the hole as the circus fell into ruin. He wondered what the normal people saw...maybe loose circus animals? He wasn’t really sure at this point nor did he care. Soon enough they were all piled into the car and Jacob was forced to sit on the floor of the trunk with Robert driving the car. He wasn’t going to complain. After all, whoever this girl was; she was in a worse shape than his life had ever been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is brought to you by Dark Woods Circus. Because I am weird. And like Vocaloid. Also remember the shirt colors!!!!!!!


	4. Fears Untold, The River of Silence

Jacob spent the next hour looking over the brown cloth with Camp Ancient in moving writing. The symbols seemed to flicker between ancient scripts and English but Jacob could follow every flicker with his eyes. It was like he was training his eyes to focus on the lettering to make it turn to English almost. Every so often it would even change to symbols...A moon, waves. It unsettled him lightly but not as much as the silence in the car, the only noise being the girl’s soft breathing and the occasional chewing of the car upholstery by Robert in the driver’s seat. He wasn’t going to question if the satyr had eaten the car trash before nor did he care to ask.   


  
Jacob couldn’t stand the quiet honestly and pulled out the one thing he had to occupy his time, his phone. He started tapping away on it, hearing the world get quieter; if that was even possible. He only looked up when he felt the car stop completely. Harmony and Robert were staring at him in shock and disbelief as if he had six heads or something.   
  


“What.” Jacob quirked a brow, sending a message.   
  


“You’re using a phone?! That’s a monster magnet!  _ HOW THE HELL HAVEN’T YOU DIED. _ ” Harmony was trying not to yell but it was hard.   
  


“I got it from work. I’m texting my boss that I quit.” He shrugged lightly.   
  


“No you don’t understand.  _ Demigods can’t use phones. _ ” Harmony seemed both shocked and pissed off.   
  


“And? This one does. I only text at night.” He rolled his eyes a little, more confident than he had been the night before.   
  


“You are going to get us killed is what you’re doing.” Robert groaned, shaking his head.   
  


“Fine fine. I’ll shut it o-”   
  


His phone pinged and his blood went cold.  _ ‘Yo, it’s Micheal. You know, from work. Boss just said you quit. I’m not texting about that though. Look uh...I know your dad was kind of shitty but...He’s dead. He died in a fire or something a few hours ago. Look, I don’t know what happened but everyone is saying you did it to escape him. I gotta go before cops show up gonna delete all our conversations and your contact. Best of luck.’ _

 

Jacob felt bile rise in his throat as he shut his phone off and opened the side door, throwing the phone out as it smashed against the asphalt. He saw everyone but the girl in the backseat staring at him. He didn’t dare look though, knowing damn well he was on the verge of tears as he slammed the door shut.   
  


“Jacob? You…” Nick started to speak.   
  


“Just. Drive.” His voice was so flat as he tried to bury his emotions.   
  


Nick sent him back a nervous look before Robert started the car back up and drove. Jacob fished around in his bag until he pulled out a small music player, putting the headphones on before anyone could protest and cranking the music up to full blast. He just needed to be alone right now and this was the closest he could get to it. Music pounded his eardrums as he laid down, shutting his eyes. What greeted him was something he was hoping he’d never see.   
  


 

_ Jacob was standing in a mist of fog, transparent people running past him. Children running with each other, infants crawling, women weeping into misty rags. It unnerved him to the core of his being. He knew he didn’t belong here. And then he saw  _ **_him._ ** _ He was half shuffling, half running towards the Westward side of the mist but something was curling around his ankles, dragging him downwards as he screamed, the sound coming only as wind as he disappeared. _ _   
_

_   
_ _ Only then did the dream shift, becoming happy and cheerful. Kids in orange and purple shirts were fighting against each other. But it didn’t seem like a war...they weren’t going for the kill. There was even laughter. In a semicircle of teen and kids apparently watching a fight going on, voices drifting up from the crowd as he finally caught a glimpse of the fighters. _ __   


_   
_ _ “You’re getting a lot better at this Jason.” A guy with black hair seemed to say. _ __   


_   
_ _ “Well I wasn’t ever one for conventional fighting!” The other guy he was fighting laughed as he spoke. _ __   


_   
_ _ There stood a blonde man in a purple shirt, the black haired one in orange. They seemed to be friends and were laughing almost like this was a game. He couldn’t read either shirt and his body felt cold, like this dream should not have been meant for him. He watched as the images flickered, changing shape between war and peace until it settled again on the two friends. He hadn’t even noticed the red haired girl until the crowds of kids and teens parted like she had some sort of forcefield. _ __   


_   
_ _ A green glow suddenly came to her eyes and she spoke, a hollow whisper at most and the crowd backed away fast like she was going to explode or something.  _ **_Did she hold some sort of power?_ ** _ Finally the sound came to his dream again and he heard it loud and clear. _

_   
_ _   
_ **_“Four demigods to join the fray,_ **

**_Two from the land of the invaders sway._ **

**_One from the stories washed, untold,_ **

**_One from the land where people decay._ **

 

**_Eight young souls will complete the chain,_ **

**_Mending bonds that are frayed._ ** **_  
_ ** ****

**_Ancient evils of all the world,_ **

**_Will rise to be monsters cold._ **

 

**_Unless the child of Moon’s blood lays,_ **

**_The world will fall to disarray._ **

**_Lands will begin the war again,_ **

**_Unless to thrive there will be no end.”_ **

**_  
_ ** _   
_ _ The girl stopped, swaying and falling into the arms of two teen boys, one a blonde with basketball shorts on and the other looking like a pale goth. Everyone was looking about, muttering to themselves. Was eight a bad number or something? That was when the dream started to glow at the edges and grow until all he could see was light. _ _   
_ __   
****

**_“You’ll never escape my wrath_ ** **_bastard son._ ** **_”_ **

 

Jacob shot up like he was electrocuted, biting back a scared yelp as he felt his skin burning.  _ Fuck what time was it. How long had he been out. And why was Nick in the middle seat bench area, staring at him. _ He ran his fingers through his hair, knocking his headphones off and gave a halfhearted smile, causing Nick to sigh and climb over the seat to check him over.   
  


“How the hell did you get burned in the dark…” His voice wasn’t upset, more on the line of tired confusion.   
  


“I uhm...I don’t know.” He blushed lightly.   
  


“You’re lying. Come on...We’re parked at a homeless shelter in Nebraska. The van is kind of...Well we’re on foot from here.” He looked away.   
  


“You wrecked the van?!” Once again, his voice betrayed him.   
  


“Well...I didn’t. Ciara did.” He tried not to smile.   
  


“Ciara? Who is Ciara. How long was I out!”   
  


“A day or two...She’s the girl we rescued. Come on, you need a shower.” Nick pinched the bridge of his nose for dramatic effect.   
  


“O...Okay.”   
  


Nick helped him up and they headed into a small building called Graces’ Charity House. He had to double check the sign to see it was, in fact, correct. He decided after the shit they have gone through it was better not to question it. He was getting  _ very _ good at not questioning things.   
  


Inside it was like a completely different building. Beds lined the walls’ complete lengths and heights with ladders up and down to the different levels. There was a huge banquet hall in the center and the back of the area had hallways labeled Bathroom in every language on one scrolling sign. It was easy to spot the caretakers, rushing about in shorts and matching pink shirts with the name of the building on the front. They were practically identical and beautiful down to their ponytails that never seemed to frizz. When they saw the two boys come in they lit up, one of the women walking over.  _ Oh, her name was Grace. Were the three of them Grace? It would make sense. _   
  


“Ah, demigods, your friends are this way.” Grace Number One spoke sweetly.   
  


“Wait...how did you-” Jacob felt his chest seize up.   
  


“We are the Graces. We give rest to all demigods. But you boys would not know such things.” She gave a knowing smile, as if she could see into their souls.   
  


They stared for a moment before following her to the back of the building where Harmony, Robert and the girl...Ciara...was sitting on a bed. She looked better, healthier even and her clothes had been mended. Her brunette hair seemed to almost shine along with those deep blue eyes. The only thing to offset it was the myriad of scars covering her skin and the cocky smile.   
  


“So you’re saying that you’re headed to New York?” Ciara spoke with a very interesting accent.   
  


“Well yeah, it’s where all demigods go before getting sorted between the two camps. Jupiter and Half Blood.” Robert was chewing on a pillow as he spoke.   
  


“Ooooh Greek and Roman? So that’s where we send those kids...Oh! Nick! You’re back!” Ciara smiled sweetly.   
  


“Uh...Yeah. Jacob, This is Ciara. She’s...European was it?” Nick seemed to be getting a bit nervous around her.   
  


“Technically I’m from England but my dad’s Hungarian if you know what I mean.” She wiggled her eyebrows which was hard not to laugh at.   
  


“Your dad’s a god then...Now what were you saying about another camp?” Harmony looked away, cheeks tinted a bit pink since she had been staring at Ciara.   
  


“Oh yeah! Camp Europa! It’s the camp for European deity demigods. Not fancy like Jupiter or Half Blood or whatever. We take in all the demigods from the world with non Greek and Roman parents. Well the European ones at least. Sure, we get some when your gods and goddesses take a vacation across the pond but we send them right over through New Orleans! Old magic there you know,  _ ancient _ stuff. Easy to portal to and from. We’re not the only ones either. There’s Asia and Oceania. What you thought the world was only your gods?” She seemed to talk a mile a minute.   
  


“Well no. Still, how have the other camps not found you!” Robert had given up on eating the pillow.   
  


“Because we’re across the ocean? Your gods moved, ours didn’t. You don’t listen very well faun.”   
  


“I AM A SATYR!” He huffed and Jacob was half expecting him to like...shoot fire or something in anger.   
  


“Okay okay geez. Satyr. Anyways my dad’s Hadak Ura. You know, Warlock. Hungarian god of war and the blacksmith. He was pretty close with the Roman god of war...Mars or something. Anyways, I have to get back as soon as possible. My quest is already a year late.”   
  


“Quest?” Nick spoke, curious as ever.   
  


“Yeah! Go to the land which the forgotten roam, bring the flags of the fallen home. In the circus where nothing is true, liberation from the moon. It was my quest to bring the shirts of the fallen demigods of the camps back! They probably already gave my bunk away…” She pouted which made Harmony blush again.

 

“Wait..liberation by the moon.” Jacob could feel his skin grow cold. “Like the night time or by a moon person.”   
  
“Dunno. It was night when all the creatures and me were freed so probably that. Thanks for taking down ol’ fart breath by the way. I hate blind cyclops. This place has too many Greek and Roman monsters for my taste. Give me an elf or a dwarf any day!”   
  


“Uhm...This is a lot to take in. I’m going to...go to the bathroom.” Jacob could feel himself shaking.   
  


He quickly broke away from the conversation to go shower, feeling the water relax his muscles and replenish his strength. Only then did the dam holding his feelings back break. It started slow, the creeping sensation of fear and sorrow and everything else building up until it broke. He sobbed, body shaking and hiccups accompanying the noises that left his mouth. 

 

_ First he’s hated all his life, then he escapes after running into some freaky animal people. Now he was on the run from monsters and apparently A SUN GOD READY TO KILL HIM. _ It was too much for him. He didn’t know how long he was in there before he managed to calm down, drying off and going out to grab his clothes. 

 

But there was something off. The brown shirt, ancient and faded that had been in his pocket had been renewed.  _ Now it was a tshirt with silver writing. _ He sighed, knowing it was either wear that or no shirt at all. He slipped it on to see that it fit perfectly on his interestingly slim frame. Once he was dressed he rejoined the group as Ciara was showing off her sword.   
  


“Blessed Iron. All European demigods have it. Cuts through a monster like butter and mortals like...well meat. But we don’t harm people, that would curse the weapon. You notice the copper laced in? That’s my dad’s work since his specialty was copper. Named it Princess since I’m kind of his only daughter right now. And the choker is a rune. If you tap it a few times it replays memories. The rune is my father’s symbol, a copper sword. On the back is my years at camp. Only at two so far.” Seems she was still ranting on about various things.   
  


“Wow Ciara! That’s awesome!” Nick’s eyes were so bright it nearly made Jacob blush.   
  


“Well maybe one day you guys will see it too.” She was looking pointedly at Nick.   
  


Jacob sat on the bed, giving a half hearted smile as Nick frowned.  _ He just couldn’t get anything past this guy could he. _ Once the introductions and such were completed they thanked the Graces for the shower and clothes. Ciara hit her sword against her leg and it turned into a walking stick with copper runes. In the last few moments of being in the parking lot they took a last look at the van. The entire left side was crushed in, claw marks covering the roof and the driver’s side door was completely gone.   
  


“Well...Guess we start walking. Maybe we can find a bus or train...Grace...er...Aglaea said there was one a few miles down the road.” Harmony looked back to the shelter like she had questions that hadn’t been answered.   
  


“Alright...Walking it is.”   
  


They set off towards the next town, the moon shining just a little bit brighter in their wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we have the Graces! Huzzah! Also RIP the van. ALSO WELCOME TO THE PROPHESY!
> 
> Fun Fact: Native demigods and technology work. Don't ask me why I lost the notes on it.


	5. The Midnight Train

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the point where there is no chapters as of this one being posted. Unfortunately, you will all have to wait for an update ^^ Still, enjoy.

As they walked, Jacob started to notice things in the corner of his eyes. Little green and brown creatures following and ducking behind trees.  _ Or were they becoming trees. _ He could have sworn he’d seen women in silver parkas or something as well, running under the light of the moon.  _ Probably just his imagination. _ Still, he would look out for them because after the bullshit of the past two days he had learned not to think something was his imagination.

 

He put his headphones on and played some soft music, humming along until he noticed he was ahead of the crowd.  _ No...They’d been frozen mid-step. _ He rushed back, waving his hand in front of Nick’s face. Not even a reaction came from his best friend. For a moment he was thinking of pulling out a pen and drawing on his face. That’s when the music came to his ears, soft and hollow, breaking past the shelter of his headphones. He turned back to see the woman from his dream,  _ his mother. _   


  
Her skin was a dark coppery color and her braided hair had streaks of silver as if highlighted by the moon itself. Her white animal hide clothing had an ethereal sheen to it that Jacob couldn’t quite place.  _ And her eyes...brown with speckles of silver _ . Everything about her person was so gentle; so loving Jacob couldn’t help but run into her arms as she enveloped him, petting his soft hair down from its’ usual wildness.   


  
“My son...You have already faced so much alone. The rage of your father. The rage of my husband. But your trials have not even begun. I cannot help you nor can I save you from the fear and pain. But I can save you some of the pain my little Guiding Star. I can at least give you things to guide you.” Her smile was so gentle and loving it nearly made Jacob tear up like a lost child.   


  
“But...Who are you. What am I? Why is this all happening now!” He wanted to say more but he was gently hushed by his mother.   
  


“That will come in time. Which is sadly short for me. End the cycle of the spirit. Bring our children home. I love you. Be safe.” Her voice trailed off into a soft whisper once more.   
  


She disappeared into wisps of silver, like stars returning to the sky, as the world came back into focus, the others running to catch up with Jacob who was now the still one. In his hands was the most beautiful moonstone choker made with beads of white and silver. He slowly raised it to his neck, fastening it into place before sighing. He knew not to deny a gift from his mom.   
  


“What the bloody hell just happened?!” Ciara was honestly panicking a little.   
  


“God stuff. It was god stuff…” Harmony groaned, definitely tired of ‘god stuff’.   
  


“Dude what’s with the accessory.” Nick quirked a brow, going to touch it.   
  


“Uh...my mom gave it to me.” Jacob looked away, blushing.   
  


“Oh. My mom left me a clover crown once apparently.” Nick shrugged which caught Ciara’s attention.   
  


“Clovers you say...We need to get you to Camp Europa Nick. Just a hunch love but could be something.” She had that smile on again that made Jacob nervous.   
  


Nick quirked an eyebrow and took Jacob’s wrist lightly as they walked which he definitely blushed over. Jacob knew what it meant though since the subject of their moms was touchy at best. Especially Nick’s. Appearing during an early spring and then next thing his father knew, there was a baby in his flower bed. Things like this always happened to them and they only had each other. Not Greeks or Romans. They were...well Nick was obviously a European demigod; there was no other way to explain the looks and subtly of Ciara. And Jacob...He was the child of the moon. Water and starlight in one anxiety filled body.   
  


By the time they reached the train station, the sun was just barely peeking over the horizon. Jacob put up his parasol to keep the sun from touching his skin.  _ That was it, he needed to chew out the sun for this bullshit. He was tired of hiding. _ Jacob was shaken from his thoughts by Nick’s hand on his, a grounding point to his mind which caused both boys to blush. With the money they had gathered from their bags they managed to pay for all five tickets for a trip as far as the rail took them.

 

They took their seats quietly, pulling the shades down to keep most of the sunlight out of their section. Jacob still ended up putting a hoodie on, pulling the sleeves over his hands and laying his head on the table between their seats. He was still tired after that little...vision was the best way to put it without making his head hurt. The flickerings between war and peace. Smiles and bloodshed. And that poetry…   
  


“Hey uh...Robert?” Jacob looked up to meet Robert’s eyes.   
  


“Hm?” Robert stopped chewing on the nearest object.   
  


“Are you good at poetry?” This caught everyone’s attention.   
  


“That depends…” Robert seemed to smirk a bit.   
  


“I heard a girl say a poem in a dream.” He was getting nervous about the eyes on him now.   
  


“...Red hair? Spewing green?” Robert’s demeanor seemed almost nervous now.   
  


“Actually yeah.” Jacob blinked softly, seeing Robert tense up.   
  


“That was a prophecy from Camp Half Blood’s Oracle! Can you repeat it?”   
  


“Yeah uh. Four demigods to join the fray,   


Two from the land of the invaders sway.   


One from the stories washed, untold,   


One from the land where people decay.   
  
Eight young souls will complete the chain,   


Mending bonds that are frayed.   


Ancient evils of all the world,   


Will rise to be monsters cold.   
  
Unless the child of Moon’s blood lays,   


The world will fall to disarray.   


Lands will begin the war again,   


Unless to thrive there will be no end.”   
  
“Daaamn never heard one that complex...Okay The four demigods could be you four. One of you is from ‘invaders’ it could mean the Europeans...the decay one is Harmony.” He looked to her as she rolled her eyes.   
  


“I take offense to that!”   
  


“You had a skeletal cat.” Robert pointed it out with a shrug.   
  


“Okay nevermind.” Harmony pouted and dug a candy bar from her bag, eating it.   
  


“And the child of the moon...that might be you Jacob. But the rest doesn’t make sense.” Nick spoke it, both of them already catching on to this godly bullshit.   
  


“Actually love, I’ve heard that prophecy before. Back in Europa. It’s oooold though, back during the Middle Ages. Never quite figured it out.” Ciara picked at something under her nails.   
  


Their group fell silent as they realized what was happening. They were a prophecy in the making. Jacob also knew who he was, the pieces finally clicking into place. One from the stories washed, untold. That was about the culture that his mother belonged to being washed away by colonization. The deer woman at the circus who called him Jacob StarLight.  _ He was a Native American demigod. _ One with probably incredible power.  _ No wonder everything was trying to kill them. _ He sighed, putting his face back on the table.   
  


He actually fell asleep like that, knowing damn well he was going to have a vision. What else would he get honestly! He was sadly getting used to the bullshit he was being forced to put up with and it was probably going to be a running theme for him and his friends now.

  
  
_ Jacob was standing on that hill again, staring off into what he now knew as the Greek camp. Kids slept under the stars as women in silver parkas phased through him, walking into the valley below. One had the most dark hair, a crown of silver adorning her locks and the most gothic punk clothing on which made her stand out. She approached a...okay he knew damn well that was a centaur he wasn’t an idiot. _ _   
_ __   


_ “What news do you have hunters?” The centaur spoke. _ _   
_ __   


_ “That prophecy...There’s four demigods headed East already with a satyr but it couldn’t be happening. Not now.” The crowned girl spoke nervously. _ _   
_ __   


_ “Prophecies come at their own time Thalia. We’re always chasing the next one.” The centaur shook his head sadly. _ _   
_ __   


_ “But a child of the moon? Artemis is a maiden!” The way she spoke made Jacob feel like he was some sort of bastard...oh wait he was. _ _   
_ __   


_ “But if you remember there’s demigods other than Greek or Roman. Different cultures have different beliefs.” The centaur looked out towards the East where there was nothing but water. _ _   
_ __   


_ “Still. I don’t trust them. We have scouts watching their movements. One wrong move and they are dead.” Thalia seemed almost pleased at the thought. _ _   
_ __   


_ The dream started to get light around the edges and Jacob growled, turning behind him to see the man. His skin and hair were dark and he wore normal animal hide clothes but his gold flecked eyes held so much malice. _ _   
_ __   


_ “I was hoping you would have perished by now.” The man crossed his arms. _ _   
_ __   


_ “Oh fuck off! I’m not scared of you! I saw worse shit when I worked retail! I never fucking asked to be born okay? I never asked for ANY of this!” He yelled, trying to hide his fear. He hadn’t seen scarier shit. He’d dealt with couponers. _ _   
_ __   
****

**_“Then die properly.”_ **

  
  
He woke up with a start, Nick shaking him lightly as he pulled off the hoodie which was smoking.  _ DAMN IT. That was his favorite hoodie too. _ He sighed and sat up, ripping it off his body as he saw new burns on his skin. He was definitely going to see if gods were punchable when they reached this camp.   
  


“Sun guy still angry?” Nick sighed.   
  


“Oh you think?” Jacob tossed the hoodie at him.   
  


“Well more importantly...look ahead.”   
  


Jacob looked out into the aisle and saw his boss sitting with a newspaper.  _ What the fuck?! _ Then he turned and their eyes met.  _ Those yellow eyes...He’d just assumed they were cool contacts. _ Everyone seemed to be oblivious as the train rang out the next stop. Chicago, Illinois. The group could feel Jacob’s nerves as he stood up.   
  


“Hello sir.” Jacob’s eyes slunk to the floor.   
  


“Jacob...I didn’t expect to see you on my business trip.” His old boss spoke so calmly it was hard to sense the anger.   
  


“I uhm…” Jacob’s mouth felt like cotton.   
  


“They all said you ran away after your father’s death. That you killed him. I don’t believe it little star.”    
  


“Thank you si- wait what?”   
  


“Hm? Did I say something?” His old boss smiled just a little too wide.   
  


“You called me little star. Why?” Jacob’s eyes met the man’s, panic rising in his throat.   
  


“Well I guess there’s no use waiting for the train car to empty. Natosi sent me since he can’t kill you himself. Such a taboo, a married woman like Komorkis to have a child with a mortal. I’m surprised she’s still a goddess at all.” The smile turned to a smirk.   
  


“I have no idea what those names mean!” Jacob was trying to seem like a confused and scared innocent boy but he knew damn well what they meant. His mom and the sun ass trying to murder him.   
  


“And you never will.”   
  


“Sir. Mister Digo please!” He was pleading now but his voice wasn’t showing much terror.   
  


“It’s Wehn. You know.  _ Wendigo. _ ”   
  


Jacob felt a scream catch in his throat as his former boss changed. It was gaunt to the point of emaciation, desiccated skin pulled tightly over its bones. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into their sockets, the Wendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave. What lips it had were tattered and bloody. Unclean and suffering from suppurations of the flesh, the Wendigo gave off a strange and eerie odor of decay and decomposition, of death and corruption. 

 

Jacob had to force himself not to vomit as the train car stopped at the station and people poured out talking about a dead animal getting caught under the train or something and a stray dog in the car. Jacob didn’t even think about it. He already knew how the Mist worked from Harmony.   
  


Every muscle in his body was alive now as he ducked into to nearest seating area, the Wendigo slashing with bloody claws.  _ Just his luck, the only person to be nice to him back in Oregon WAS TRYING TO FUCKING KILL HIM NOW!  _ He got up shakily, seeing Ciara already charging into battle only to be flicked aside like a bug.  _ How do you kill a Wendigo! Fuck fuck fuck! _   
  


Jacob could feel his chest tightening, the world spinning as a panic attack hit him full force. Everything started to move in slow motion. A shape rushed through the train, coming to his side with a weapon of copper and silver in it’s jaw and a bag on its’ silvery grey back.  _ A wolf. It was a wolf. _ He felt an odd calm coming from it as it nuzzled his hand. It was like he could feel what it was feeling. He wasn’t a scared boy. He was sacred, a hunter. He was a warrior of the stars. He reached down and retrieved the weapon from the wolf’s muzzle, a Leister staff that seemed to crackle with light in his hands.   
  


“WENDIGO! I am Jacob, son of the moon! The stars protect me and guide me as sisters and brothers! You do not scare me anymore!” He was totally bullshitting right now but he was feeding off the wolf’s confidence.   
  


He swung the weapon, silver light and water rushing from it as he charged and stabbed it into the Wendigo’s neck, pushing off a seat to land on its’ back. He felt it thrashing but didn’t dare open his eyes as he started pushing down. He could hear the wolf attacking from the front along with the war screams of a man. And then... _ silence. _

 

He fell to the ground, his ears ringing as he shook.  _ Whatever just happened had just fucked him up. _ He heard voices but they were so muffled along with the whimpering of the wolf. It was all too much, too hard on his body as everything got more and more muffled. It wasn’t long after that he blacked out.   
  


When he woke up he was in a small room that was moving...no...it was the back of a truck. His eyes slowly focused until he realized all he could smell was dog. Oh, he was in dog fur. He sat up, his vision shifting a bit as he noticed everyone was with him, holding flashlights and staring at him and the wolf.   
  


“What...what happened?” Jacob’s voice was back to the sound of deepthroating razor blades and he could have sworn he tasted blood.   
  


“The wolf tossed you in here after dragging you two miles through Downtown Chicago. How are you feeling?” Ciara’s voice seemed just a little too tired.   
  


“Dizzy…”   
  


“Well it’s not dead. I don’t sense any death on  _ him _ right now...well except the Wendigo.” The way Harmony spoke gave it all away.   
  


“Gooooooods don’t say the name.” Ciara hissed it out.   
  


“Oh sorry.” Harmony’s voice seemed to get a little softer.   
  


Jacob then noticed the very distinct lack of Robert and noticed nobody would meet his eyes. It didn’t take a genius to connect the dots on this one. The man’s scream turning to silence, the obvious lack of cheer in the group. He knew he shouldn’t say it...but he did.   
  


“Robert’s dead...isn’t he.” He finally spoke again, knowing it was true already.   
  


“Yeah...He turned into a patch of daisies. We’re on our own now...with a wolf.” Nick sighed softly.   
  


Jacob laid a hand on the sleeping form of the wolf and remembered a story his dad used to say. About a wolf who stole the first humans and let them settle. The star of Sirius.   
  


“Sirius...We’ll call him Sirius.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOING AAAAAAAAAAAANYYYYYYYYYYYYYWHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE


	6. Siriusly Stupid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Instead of attending classes I spent the morning writing. Hopefully I can update other fics but for now I'll just work where I can. My mom also broke her foot and needs surgery so i'll be taking the bus until she heals...unfortunately. Enjoy!~

Jacob wasn’t sure how long they’d stayed in that truck, sneaking out when it stopped and raiding convenience stores. He wasn’t quite sure of much anymore, his weapon having disappeared after the Wendigo incident. Did he have to call on it or something? Or was it in the wolf’s bag. He hadn’t tried to open it in case something alive was inside or it was meant for a special occasion.   


  
He was getting used to all of the repetition of their sneak outs anyways. He could relax whilst Ciara told stories of the eastern half of the planet and their different camps. Sirius stayed close to his side, normal people assuming he was just some form of service animal. Everyone called him a Husky. Well, at least nobody saw his silvery fur sparkling in the moonlight in night. Maybe he should get a service animal vest for his...was pet even the right word for this? He wasn’t sure.   


  
Could you even buy something like that? He’d probably have to use a computer...and a credit card. And then there was shipping as well. He groaned and laid down, burying his face into Sirius’ fur as he shut his eyes. He could hear the others muttering and only turned a bit to listen in on the conversation.   


  
“You okay Jacob?” He could hear the frown in Nick’s voice.   


  
“Yeah. Just regretting my natural existence and thinking about shit like we’re still home and happy.” He buried his face again.   


  
“Well, I don’t think anything will be the same now kiddo.” Ciara shrugged. “We’re demigods, monsters try to eat us and we kill them, go on quests. The whole shebang.”   


  
“And have superpowers.” Harmony sounded a little smug. “Shitty parent powers.”   


  
Jacob nodded softly and tried to relax. He hadn’t had any more visions in the past week which also meant sun god asshole wasn’t trying to kill him. He still missed his hoodie since he had gotten it at a Star Wars sale at GameStop but...well, you can’t fix the past no matter how you try. Soon enough, he had drifted off to sleep, and unfortunately his luck had run out.

  
  
_ Jacob’s eyes opened to a vast and beautiful expanse, seemingly floating down to solid ground as he felt confused. He felt like he belonged here, seeing brown shirted people running past and even through him laughing. Ahead was a beautiful ocean and around him were cabins seemingly hand built with carvings in the wood itself. His body relaxed as he walked through, the smell of chocolate hitting his nose and he could have sworn he was drooling. _ _   
_

__   
_ He could understand everything, every language spoked as the sun glittered overhead. He wasn’t in pain in it, it was comforting instead. He couldn’t help the smile that creeped onto his face until he saw the deerwoman again, staring right at him. She was covered in bandages and was sitting on a tree stump, sipping a drink. She could see him but none others. _ __   


__   
_ “One day you will find your way.” She spoke softly and people looked to her in confusion. _ __   


__   
_ “What?” Another deerwoman looked around in confusion. _ __   


__   
_ “Nothing sister, just a passing vision.” She set her cup down and shook her head. _ __   


_   
_ _ Jacob walked onwards, noticing every kid had tattoos in a sense or had paint on them. He felt like he could understand every shape of them, like it was a part of him. He could see things in the woods and things in the sky he barely knew the name of and spirits passing through the crowds that the kids seemed to recognise and speak to. _

__   
_ Then the heat started to creep up on him, the burning on his skin as he spun fast yet nobody was there. He shivered lightly in fear and turned back to see the camp was now dark, lifeless with bodies littering the ground. The cabins were on fire and people in different colored shirts were holding bloody weapons. His heart seized up and he was frozen in place. _ __   


__   
_ “Filthy little natives. Finally we got rid of them.” One of the people spoke, their voice having an Australian lilt to it. _ __   


__   
_ “Damn right. Let’s take their shit. They’re bound to have good shit.” That one was American. _ __   


_   
_ _ Jacob sunk to his knees, seeing a shadow...thing moving through the crowd, shadows leeching off of the crowd itself. Was this a vision of the future? The present? He fell to his knees, the burning ever greater on his skin as the shadow person locked what he assumed was eyes with him and rushed forward, his skin on fire. _

__   
_   
_ **_“ K I L L”_ **

  
  
Jacob woke up screaming, causing the truck to break hard as everyone looked panicked.  _ Time to bail. _ Nick grabbed his hand and they threw open the truck doors, running out before the driver could even get out. He heard the guy yelling at them but they were speeding away into a huge building. He could feel everyone’s hearts racing as the group fell through the doors. Instantly everything cooled and everyone started calming down.   
  


“Dude what the fuck!” Harmony growled it out.   
  


“I-I’m sorry I...I saw something.” He hugged himself, his shirt a bit crispy. “I don’t know if it was a bad future or something but…”   
  


“It doesn’t matter. Did you see the name of this place? We’re in Texas!” Ciara huffed. “Off track. Figures. That wolf is an idiot.”   
  


“He’s not an idiot!” Jacob was yelling now. “He was trying to get us to safety!”   
  


“And put us in a truck headed SOUTH!” Ciara was near screaming and Jacob’s chest got tight.   
  


He hated when people yelled, it scared the shit out of him and made his panic attacks worse. Tears came to his eyes and his breathing got quick as he backed away fast. He looked terrified of Ciara now, like she was going to hit him.  _ Just like his dad. _ Nick was already between them, holding his arms out.   
  


“Enough. Yelling won’t make any of this better. The wolf had to have known right? Maybe there’s something or someone here who can help. I mean it’s Jacob’s companion or something. It’s supernatural and we have to respect that.” He let his arms drop.   
  


“Yeah Ciara. We have to trust this. Maybe it’s just a detour.” Harmony smiled a bit. “And it’s an abandoned mall. Maybe we can find some clothes to change into.”   
  


Ciara let out a sigh and relaxed her body. “Fine. Alright. Sorry.” She kicked at a piece of fallen concrete. “At least we can set up a camp or something.”   
  


Jacob meanwhile had Sirius planted to his side, calming him down as he heard a faint echo of singing.  _ Yeah, nope. That sounds bad. _ He decided to ignore it as nobody else could hear the notes and followed them along to an abandoned Hot Topic. New clothes were dusted off and grabbed and Harmony froze mid grab. She looked downwards which caused everyone to look. She was standing in an outline.  _ Like a police body one. _   
  


“You don’t think…” She frowned a bit, the singing a bit louder now.   
  


“Abandoned and shut down murder scene.” Ciara groaned. “Whose singing anyways!”   
  


Jacob looked away. “I don’t think we’re alone here.” He might as well say it.

 

Everyone dropped what they were doing and walked out of the store, looking down to the fountain below that was dried up. There, a woman in a bloody nightgown was singing a lullaby, walking slowly around it. Jacob got a shiver down his spine, thinking of the Witch from Left 4 Dead.

  
He took a calming breath, already knowing what had to be done. It was La Llorona. The weeping woman who drowned her children. All they had to do was avoid her and they’d be fine...hopefully.   


  
He put a finger to his lips and guided them back into the store so they were out of earshot. “I know that one. Don’t ask why. It’s like...uh...a ghost that is a death omen.”   


  
“Banshee.” Ciara offered it up.   


  
“Yeah. If we don’t acknowledge her or speak to her we’re fine. She is usually around the river she drowned her kids in but hey a fountain is a body of water. I guess it works as well. Don’t be drawn in or she’ll kill you.” He sighed. “Let’s just pack some clothes and find a way to get through this.”   


  
They all nodded and grabbed some bags, stuffing clothes and stuff in before covering their ears and running to a store full of snacks. They repeated it with anything else they needed and found until they were at the back of the mall, all sound of the weeping woman finally gone.   


  
They could leave but...where would they go. There was no vehicles around here. Harmony then pointed to a car and a gas can next to it. Well, nobody would disagree to that and they quickly filled it. Everyone was looking left and right for any sign of monsters as Ciara ran off with a look in her eyes.   


  
They finished filling the tank and found the key safely in the ignition. Someone had tried to get away in it...maybe whoever fell to La Llorona last. He frowned at the thought before Ciara came back with a grocery bag. He had a good guess she raided the registers and as soon as everyone was buckled in Nick got the car started and they bolted.   


  
Hopefully now they would be on track.


	7. Road Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright I'm on a writing binge. Also I realized halfway through the chapter I forgot a kid of the prophesy so I had to retcon a scene involving Jacob accidentally floating off into the ocean and having a vision of Percy Jackson at camp. So unfortunately Jacob's gay awakening will not begin yet. Which I admit now, Jacob is 100% gay. Anyways Enjoy.

“Are you fucking kidding me!” Ciara screamed as she basically flipped the car over, the hood breaking from it’s upward position.   


  
They’d managed to break down on the East coast at least this time. Right at the beach too. It was a full moon and oddly enough there was no monsters. Not even a growl. Jacob was staring up at the stars on a bench as Ciara took her anger out on the car. Nick was leaning against him, half asleep and Harmony was making a sand castle with Sirius. For a second...Everything was calm. It  was almost normal.   


  
He sighed and gently push Nick off who leaned against the arm of the bench as he got up. He needed some time alone honestly as he headed off down the beach and away from the sleeping normal population that were safe in their beds. He felt the moonlight following him, keeping him calm in a soft hold of light.   


  
Well, at least his mom was watching. He had that going for him. He sat down as soon as he was away from everyone else, looking up at the sky. His thoughts for once weren’t racing a mile a minute and his head was clear.   


  
“Mom...what am I supposed to do.” He sighed. “I mean...I saw that vision. That shadow beast that only wants to kill. How am I supposed to save everyone, especially the kids from the camp I’m supposed to be part of. Why do I have to go see the Greeks.”   


  
The sky gave no answers as he groaned, getting up and heading back towards the group. Yet he stopped when he heard a scream from the opposite direction, growls following it. He...he knew she wasn’t speaking English and he thought he could understand it.  _ Another native? _   


  
He didn’t even think, turning and running towards the scream. When he blinked, Sirius was by his side. He half slid on sand when he reached the source. A girl with dark skin and darker hair was using a piece of driftwood with a snake on it, trying to fend off...was that a person with a wolf head?   


  
His brain quickly fed him the answer. Rougarou, a cajun werewolf. Why was it always dogs! He groaned and ran between the beast and the girl, feeling his weapon come to him as he struck out with his eyes closed. He felt...cold, but not in a bad way. More like when someone put an ice cube on your arm but his whole body. He heard a yelp and a whine before he opened his eyes again, both the monster and his weapon gone.  _ Figures. _ _   
_

__   
“A-Are ya a monster too?” The girl’s voice had a heavy southern tilt to it.   


  
“Uh...no. I’m a kid. Like you...sorta.” He gave a tiny smile as the little girl turned to the snake.   


  
“Ya hear that Jessiebelle? Maybe he knows where mama is!” When she looked at him again her smile fell. “You...you do know where mama is right? She ran outta Louisiana with me and…” And there were the tears.   


  
Jacob knelt down and held her close. “It’s okay...I lost my dad.” The words were empty but he knew she was a demigod based on that little encounter. And a snake god’s daughter at that. Native too.   


  
“Mama said the voodoo gods were mad at me. Cause I talk to snakes.” She sniffled.   


  
“Well the sun is mad at me. So I guess we’re even. My name’s Jacob. What’s yours?”   


  
“S-Sabine. Sabine Josephine Roux.” She rubbed her face on his shirt. “C-Can I come with you? So you can beat up the bad things and help me find mama?”   


  
“Sure…” He sighed with a smile. Well, their demigod party was up to five now. He knew Sabine was only 10 at the most based on her size but he couldn’t be really sure. So he got her on his back and the snake rested in his hair as he walked back to the group.   


  
“Uh Jacob...where’d you find the kid?” Ciara quirked a brow.   


  
“Her name’s Sabine. She’s the daughter of a voodoo snake god and...I may have fought a cajun werewolf.” He gave a sheepish grin as Nick groaned in his sleep.   


  
“Why is it always dogs with you!” Harmony huffed.   


  
“Dogs and the moon go hand in hand?” He shrugged lightly which woke up the napping Sabine a bit, her small voice asking her mom about a boat.   


  
“So...we now have five of us, one being a child, and no way to get to New York without attracting attention.” Harmony frowned. “What’s your plan big man.”   


  
“Well…” He paused. “We can’t take public transport because of Sabine. People will realize we’re teenagers.”   


  
“I’m eighteen.” Ciara countered.   


  
“Okay  _ most _ of us are teens.” He rolled his eyes.   


  
“Maybe I can help.” The voice came from a nearby postage truck. “I thought I heard word about some demigods on the run from the West. Hop in, I know the way. Name’s Hermes by the way!”   


  
“The Greek god of messengers drives a UPS truck?” Harmony quirked a brow.   


  
“On demigod pickup, yes.” He shrugged. “In you go kids.”   


  
After the time they’d been suffering through they didn’t even hesitate, falling asleep to the sounds of the road below them.


End file.
